Table game simulating a football contest



Dec. 3, 1968 L. o. BUCHSIEB TABLE GAME SIMULATING A FOQTBALL CONTEST Filed March 29, 1965 2 M 5W5. 5 0 mg l l TH F 2 Mm a rlF 4 Q m 3 9 6 O D 5 w U 5 U 0 7 2 O L United States Patent Oflice 3,414,263 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 3,414,263 TABLE GAME SIMULATING A FOOTBALL CONTEST Louis D. Buchsieb, 4602 Mt. La Platta Drive, San Diego, Calif. 92117 Filed Mar. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 443,267 Claims. (Cl. 273-94) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game of skill for simulating a football contest between two opposing teams. An elongated plate has a playing surface simulating that of a football field, and a fulcrum means for selectively tilting the plate in one of two opposite directions. There are pluralities of offense and defense pieces suitable for free movement along the playing surface. A support means adjacent to but outside of the playing surface is slidable along the length thereof, and carries a retaining means for the offense pieces. This retaining means is pivotal about a transverse axis on the support and includes bar means spaced from and on one side of the pivot axis. Thus the retaining means is reversible by flipping it over substantially 180 when the plate is tilted in an opposite direction. The releasing means preferably includes a second retaining means pivotal about the transverse axis so as to permit release of separate groups of offense pieces at spaced intervals.

Summary of the invention An important object of my invention is to provide components which when used together permit players to simulate the action of an actual football field.

A further object is to provide such devices which are easily understood and which can be conveniently played indoors under various circumstances and conditions by persons of all ages and abilities.

A still further object is to provide such devices as are simple and inexpensive to manufacture and easy to maintain.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

Description of the drawing In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

FIGURE 1 is an end elevation of the playing surface and related apparatus.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the invention showing the playing surface tilted for use.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the fulcrum means.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the rack for positioning defense pieces.

FIGURE 5 are various views of the action pieces, called men. i

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the container of the game.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view showing the retaining means and release mechanism for the offense men.

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the playing surface and accessories.

Description of the preferred embodiment In the drawing, wherein for purpose of illustration, it is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 12 is a boxlike container for my novel items. It may have a folding lid 29 which opens for a bleacher effect as shown in FIGURE 6. On the bottom thereof may be molded two parallel strips 10 which act as guides for retaining fulcrum means 9. Two blocks 11 may also be molded in the bottom of the container to steady the playing surface 1 when not in use.

Playing surface 1 may be provided with markings simulating a football field as illustrated in FIGURE 8. It and the container may be formed of wood, metal or synthetic plastic material. Fulcrum mean-s 9 is preferably adjustable in height. It fits between guides 10 and contacts surface 1 at its mid-section whereby the surface will teeter-totter thereon. At each end of the inside base of the container is securing means 13 for retaining the surface in a tilted position. I prefer to use magnets for quick manipulation thereof. Metal disc 14 fits on the magnet 13 when not in use. Under these arrangements the surface is turned when removed from the box and placed on the fulcrum means for play.

Included in my apparatus is base strip 4 suitable for retaining spiral springs 5. Said base preferably extends the full length of the surface as illustrated. A braking or pressure member 3 is joined thereto by the opposite end of the spiral spring. A beveled surface of 3 contacts sliding support member 6. Braking member 3 also extends the full length of the surface and is parallel to base strip 4. A plurality of guide pins 16 may be associated therewith to insure alignment. Said support member 6 slides along surface 1, clamped between the friction of member 3 which abuts member 6 under pressure of springs 5, and abutment strip 3a. The function of support member 6 is that of supporting retaining means 7 of FIGURE 7. Such means is principally of wire frame construction shaped in a plurality of parallel bars 30 and 7. Also, a pivotally and separately movable parallel bar 32 may be used in association therewith. Said bars retain the hereinafter described rolling pieces. An axle 34 is rotatably mounted in post 35 on member 6 with handle 8 for manually swinging the bars in the vertical position to release the rolling pieces. Stops 2 mounted on member 6 hold the retaining means 7 in a parallel spaced relationship with surface 1. Lever arms 31 are secured to bar 32 independently of the other bars. Bar 32 is retained in spaced position relative to the playing surface by stand 33.

For opposing men (defense) rack 17 may be used as a guide to their placement on surface 1. This guide has spaces 34 therein to accept the hereinafter described defense men.

Simulated football players are shown in FIGURE 5. They include a plurality of defense men 26. The optimum number thereof is eleven. These and all other pieces are preferably circular in shape and are preferably one inch in diameter. They may be formed of plastic, wood, metal or other suitable material. I prefer that some of the defense pieces have a short fiat portion 27 at the base thereof provided with a small weight 20 whereby they tend to remain in a set position on tilted surface 1. They may be solid discs or, as I prefer, rim shaped with a crouched token defense player positioned in space 25 as illustrated. Y

Opposing pieces may be solid disc shaped with weight 20 therein as shown at 28 of FIGURE 5. However, the best effect can be achieved by forming them of rim 24 with token man 28 in a running position in space 25. I

prefer to provide seven such offense line men, each of which is equal in weight to each defense piece. I. In addition thereto a plurality of offense backfield men may be provided. One may be thinner than the others. It may be a simulated quarterback 22. Two offense pieces may have beveled edges 19. These may be called halfbacks; they roll in an arc pattern. Appropriate markings will aid in the identification of these and all other pieces herein described. All other items have edges at right angles to face 18 and roll straight. A fullback may be provided which is 1% times the weight of the other pieces.

A fifth and alternate disc shaped piece may be provided with a counterweight 20 off center. See 21 of FIGURE 5. This piece may be positioned adjacent to a piece with beveled edge 19 with their faces in contact one with another. I have discovered that various patterns will result when the two pieces are released and rolled together on the tilted surface. The adjustable movement available in the counterbalanced offensive men makes the different paths of runners.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Surface 1 is placed in a tilted position. A player, in a limited time, places the offense pieces of FIGURE 5 on the means 7 in position of his choice. He designates the piece that is the ballcarrier. An opposing player places his defense pieces, with the aid of rack 17, in a parallel line facing the offense pieces. The rack is removed. A variable number of defensive men may be shifted to counter the offensive strategy. The offense player manually revolves handle 8, lifting the bar and permitting his men to roll. With a finger he may simultaneously manipulate arm 31 to release barrier 32 or he may delay this action. The place where the ballcarrier stops or goes out of bounds marks the location to begin the next play as in actual football. Under suitable rules the defense player may go on offense by tilting surface 1 the opposite direction; rotating means 7 180 to rest on the opposing stop 2 and changing men.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herein shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a game of skill simulating a football game;

(a) an elongated plate provided with a playing surface having markings simulating the playing surface of a football field;

(b) a fulcrum means for tilting said plate selectively in one of two opposite directions about an axis disposed transversely of the length of said playing surface;

(c) a support means slidably mounted on said plate for sliding movement along a path adjacent to and outside the length of said playing field surface;

(d) a plurality of offense pieces suitable for free movement along said playing surface;

(e) a plurality of defense pieces adapted to remain in set position on said tilted plate except when struck by said offense pieces;

(f) a releasable offense piece retaining means overlying said playing field, and adapted to restrain said offensive pieces on said playing surface from free movement down the slope of said plate when tilted;

(g) said retaining means including a pivot axis means rotatably mounted on said support means and extending transversely of said playing field, and a retaining bar means fixed to and spaced from said pivot axis means on one side thereof for movement in an arcuate path upon rotation of said axis means, said retaining means thereby being reversible for either direction of said tilt of said elongated plate.

2. A game as set forth in claim 1;

said releasable retaining means further including a separate retaining bar means pivotally mounted on said pivot axis means independently of said first bar means, separate groups of said offense pieces may be released at spaced intervals.

3. A game as set forth in claim 1;

said support means being provided with a resilient friction means for holding said support means in adjusted position along said playing surface.

4. A game as set forth in claim 1;

(a) said elongated plate being mounted in an elongated,

relatively shallow box;

(b) said box having releasable retaining means in said box at opposite ends thereof for holding said elongated plate in a selected one of two opposite directions of tilt.

5. A game as set forth in claim 1, said sliding support means including:

(a) an elongated abutment strip extending along said playing surface;

(b) an elongated pressure member spaced from said stop member;

(c) a support block slidably clamped between said stop member and said pressure member; and

((1) spring means biasing said pressure member in the direction of said stop member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,364,632 1/1921 Harrington 273-1 10 1,958,358 5/1934 Badgerow 27394 2,463,909 3/ 1949 Ruch 273-94 2,580,616 1/ 1952 Spiegel 27394 FOREIGN PATENTS 352,158 1905 France.

67,929 1892 Germany.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

S. NATTER, Assistant Examiner. 

